Running mate announcement: Trump picks J.D. Vance
WASHINGTON - After months of speculation, former President Donald Trump says Ohio Senator J.D. Vance will be his running mate.
Trump, still recovering from this weekend's assassination attempt, broke the news on Truth Social just as the Republican National Convention got underway.
"After lengthy deliberation and thought, and considering the tremendous talents of many others, I have decided that the person best suited to assume the position of Vice President of the United States is Senator J.D. Vance of the Great State of Ohio," Trump wrote.
FULL STORY: J.D. Vance will be Donald Trump's running mate in 2024
Earlier on Monday, AP reported the other likely frontrunners were no longer being considered: Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum.
Trump has not made any campaign appearances since being shot in the ear by a would-be assassin Saturday, but he is said to be "fine" and still plans to attend the RNC in Milwaukee; his acceptance speech is scheduled for Thursday evening.
"This is a chance to bring the whole country, even the whole world, together," the former president told the Washington Examiner. "The speech will be a lot different, a lot different than it would’ve been two days ago."
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Trump has compared the search to his former reality TV show, "The Apprentice," leading to speculation that he might opt for an onstage reveal of his pick at the convention. He could also make the announcement on social media, as he did in 2016 when he selected Mike Pence to be his running mate.
Here is a look at J.D. Vane's background, as well as the other – now disqualified – contenders.
J.D. Vance
File: Former President Donald Trump listens as J.D. Vance, a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in Ohio, speaks during a rally hosted by the former president at the Delaware County Fairgrounds on April 23, 2022 in Delaware, Ohio. (Photo by Drew Ang
Vance is a former venture capitalist who served in the Marine Corps and has held his Senate seat for the state of Ohio for less than two years.
He rose to national prominence due to his bestselling memoir, "Hillbilly Elegy," and established himself as one of the fiercest defenders of Trump's "Make America Great Again" agenda.
Despite his early criticism of Trump, Vance has become close with the former president and his son Donald Trump Jr., who has talked up the senator. Vance has become a fixture of the conservative media circuit.
Tim Scott
Scott is currently serving as a senator from South Carolina and is the only Black Republican in the Senate.
Choosing Scott as a running mate could bring racial and stylistic diversity to the GOP ticket.
What’s more, Scott and Trump worked closely together while Trump was in the White House on a host of policy issues, including Trump's tax cuts, opportunity zones, and criminal justice reform legislation.
After failing to secure his White House bid this year, Scott endorsed Trump and immediately began campaigning on the former president’s behalf.
He continues to make frequent appearances on television and recently launched a $14 million campaign to win over minority voters in seven key swing states.
Elise Stefanik
A U.S. representative from New York, and the only woman on Trump’s shortlist, Stefanik could potentially help Trump win over the college-educated suburban women who voted for Biden back in 2020.
Stefanik used to be an aide to former House Speaker Paul Ryan and served during President George W. Bush’s time at the White House.
She defended Trump in both of his impeachment trials and spoke out against his criminal indictments.
"I'm proud to be one of the strongest supporters of President Trump. And my district really tells the story of today's growing Republican Party," she told FOX News Digital. "It is Trump country and Elise country now."
Stefanik was also one of the first members of the Republican House leadership to endorse Trump in 2022.
Ben Carson
Carson served as secretary of housing and urban development during Trump’s presidency.
The pair have developed a strong bond despite running against each other in 2016.
Carson could potentially help Trump win over the minority voters as he was the first Black person to ever be named on a Republican presidential ticket.
Byron Donalds
Donalds serves as a U.S. representative out of Florida.
He has become one of the most prominent conservative Black supporters of Trump and could help bolster the former president’s appeal to Black voters.
Donalds is a fresh face and would help mark a stark contrast to both men who are the top of the Republican and Democratic parties’ tickets.
But, similar to Rubio, Donalds would have to leave the state of Florida due to Trump’s ongoing classified documents case.
No longer under consideration
Doug Burgum
File: Gov. Doug Burgum (R-ND) appears on "Meet the Press" in Washington D.C., Sunday June 30, 2024. (Photo by: William B. Plowman/NBC via Getty Images)
Burgum is a former two-term governor of North Dakota.
Before he became governor, he led a software company that was acquired by Microsoft for more than $1 billion.
He also dabbled in real estate development and venture capital and spent millions on his own presidential campaign.
While Burgum ran against Trump in 2024, the two have become friendly. Both he and his wife, Kathryn, have gotten along well with Trump and his team.
Marco Rubio
File: Former U.S. President Donald Trump listens as Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) speaks during a rally at the Miami-Dade County Fair and Exposition on November 6, 2022 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Serving as a senator from Florida since 2011, Rubio could help expand Trump’s appeal should he be chosen as his running mate.
Rubio has established himself as a respected voice on foreign policy and national security issues and being the son of Cuban immigrants, he speaks Spanish which could help Trump win the Hispanic voters.
However, Rubio ran against Trump in 2016 for the GOP nomination and the pair viciously attacked one another.
Another issue the pair face is Trump’s criminal case out of Florida.
The Constitution says two candidates from the same state cannot run as president and vice president, meaning Rubio would need to change his residency — something he is reportedly willing to do.
Catherine Stoddard, The Associated Press, and FOX News contributed to this report. This story was reported from Los Angeles.